


I Remember Mama

by spikes_heart



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikes_heart/pseuds/spikes_heart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s that time of the year again, and Spike is determined to make things easier for Buffy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Remember Mama

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for the 10th year anniversary Sunday Post challenge at Spuffy Haven on Live Journal
> 
> Lovingly betaed by GillO

Buffy felt herself closing off. It happened every year, no matter how she tried to get through it, but this was big – ten years since Mom had… died. Dawn tried; phone calls, and emails and sometimes actual snail-mail cards over the years. After all, they shared the loss. But Dawn was off at college, working hard on her degree; living the life that Buffy had fought and died and lived again to give her. She truly loved her sister, but growing apart was only natural.

And Spike. Oh how he tried to cheer her up. Over the years he’d taken her out; actual dates and demon hunts. Anything to change her focus. Nothing really worked for long. The anniversary of her mother’s death was still as devastating as it had been back when it happened. And it hurt, not having a single thing of her mother’s to hold and cherish. Everything she had cherished lay at the bottom of the Sunnydale crater.

She huddled up on the sofa with a fleece throw. It’s not that she was cold… it was more of a security blanket kind of thing. Her hands balled up in the soft material and the rest of the material bunched up around her neck. This was something she’d done countless time – usually with Spike cuddled up right at her side – but right now, she was alone in her wallowing.

Buffy sniffed once, twice at the fleece. The scent was soft and it flitted about in her mind – something she recognized as familiar – but exactly how she knew it evaded her. Every time she tried to identify it, it skittered away. It was lovely, however, and made Buffy hunch down further into the fleece, until only her nose and eyes were above the throw, which was how Spike found her.

“Playin’ Eskimo, love?” he asked, holding out a bowl of popcorn.

With a shake of her head, Buffy scooted over, allowing Spike to cuddle into her side.

“I’ve got a better idea,” he said, motioning her to move down towards the end of the couch. “Gimme the little piggies and let the Big Bad work out some of the tension.”

“As opposed to the usual way the Big Bad usually releases tension?” Buffy managed to tease. After all, her mood was not Spike’s fault at all.

He laughed. “Time and a place for everything, petal,” he said, her feet now in his lap as he gently massaged her from the toes, to her insteps, to her heels. His skillful fingers managed to pass over the ticklish areas and go straight for her pleasure spots.

“Oh, god, Spike,” she groaned. “You could make a fortune if we hired you out.”

“Nope, sorry. These digits are strictly yours.”

Buffy managed a small, sad smile. Her vampire was her saving grace, and she’d almost lost her chance for happiness. Their reunion had been a thing of chance, and their relationship had been rocky for awhile, but in the end they’d managed to work things out.

“I…” she tried, but the words wouldn’t come.

“It’s all right, Buffy. No need for words between us. Old Spike knows you’re missing your mum something fierce.” He released her feet and smoothed the fleece back over her legs. “So this year, we’re doin’ something different ‘bout it.”

“I’m not in the mood to go out, Spike,” she murmured. “Really, all I want to do is hunker down in the house.”

“An’ that’s just what we’re doin’. Saw you sniffing your blankie before. Wanna know why?” he asked, smiling at her, softly. “Did a little spritzing earlier. White Diamonds.”

That was it! White Diamonds… her mother’s one indulgence. The perfume when she could afford it and the toilette water when she couldn’t.”

“But how did you know? It was Mom’s favorite. Every time she used to hug me, I’d take a deep whiff and close my eyes. It always made me feel safe.” Matching action to words, she buried her nose in the fleece and inhaled.

Spike plopped on the sofa next to her. “Vampire, love. Sniffin’s what we do, you know that.”

“I used to hate that about you. And… and…”

“Yeah, I know. Me an’ Angel. Not like we can help it, kitten. It comes with the whole vampire package.”

This time Buffy couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, you and that package of yours.”

Spike preened and stuffed his thumbs in his belt loops, framing the aforementioned package. “Can always unwrap it if you’re of a mind,” he leered, doing that tongue thing that always got her motor running.

“Later, Spike,” she said, knowing he’d understand her mind wasn’t exactly in the right zone for it now. “Anything on the television?”

“Part two of my devious plan. Tonight we go classic – _Some Like it Hot_ with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Was a nice bit of raciness back in the day – cross-dressing and comedy.” He slid the Blu-Ray disc into the player, picked up the bowl of popcorn, and once again settled on the couch.

This time Buffy scrunched up the blanket and closed the distance between them. She pulled out one corner of the fleece and settled it over Spike’s lap. Not like he needed it for warmth, but it trapped hers nicely, which he enjoyed.

The movie turned out to be one she’d seen before on one of many rainy nights spent in much the same position, but with her mom instead of Spike. She couldn’t help but laugh at the antics onscreen, especially at the end, when Jack Lemmon’s character revealed he was a man, and the guy he was out with on the boat said, “Oh well, nobody’s perfect.”

“It really was ahead of its time, wasn’t it?” she said, licking the last bit of butter off her fingers. “Just one question… how did you know Mom liked this movie? More ‘sniffing’?”

Spike gently shoved her away. “Silly bint. Spent quite a bit of time talking with your mum when you were out patrolling or at college. Oddly enough, not all of our talk centered ‘round you.” He stood up then, and headed towards the kitchen. “One more thing for tonight,” he called over his shoulder.

Ten minutes later, he brought in a tray with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a bag of his favorite mini-marshmallows.

“You’re not the only one who misses Joyce, love,” he said, plopping in a handful of the sugary treats before handing her a mug. “This is for us both. As long as we remember her, she’s not really gone.”

Buffy took a sip and smiled. Obviously Spike had been given the Summers family hot-chocolate recipe. Just like mother used to make. She looked up with a chocolate mustache and Spike moved in to lick it off.

“Here’s to Joyce, pet. The best mum, and a good woman.” He rested his forehead against hers. “It’s okay to be happy on the anniversary, Buffy. She would have wanted to be remembered with joy, not sorrow.”

Putting the mug down on the table, Buffy sighed. As anniversaries went, this wasn’t bad. Allowing herself to think of happy things she’d shared with her mother might be the way to go, after all.

“Thanks, Spike,” she murmured, and settled in to his tender embrace.


End file.
